Corset



H. A. KELLER.

v BUCKLE; APPLICATION I ILED JULY 16' I9I.

Pamnted Nov. 28, 1922;

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

UNITED STATES 1,436,880 PATENT oFFicE.

HERMAN A. KELLER, or nannnvsron, LLINoIs, ass enon To Kano consul" COMPANY, A oonroanrron or wnsrvrnemm.

BUCKLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN A. KELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Barrington, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Buckles, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to buckles made out of sheet metal comprising a frame to which is hinged a clasp member and it has for its object to make such buckles stronger, more durable, and more efiicient, without adding to the weight thereof. The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its object and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of a buckle mounted on a piece of webbing;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sheet metal frame member of the buckle.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents'a long comparatively narrow piece or bar of sheet metal having the ends turned forwardly as indicated at 2, to form ears for supporting a clasp or lever, 3. The member 1 has a slot, 4, extending from ear to car, so as to divide said member into a lower and an upper bar. The clasp is pivotally supported by the ears so that the teeth, 5, thereon are adapted to clamp the ribbon or webbing, 6, which is threaded through the buckle in any usual or suitable way, against the front face of the upper bar of the frame. The upper bar of the frame is, in effect, a light beam supported at its ends and therefore, when made of comparatively thin sheet metal, lying flat, it will yield readily; and, even though it may not be bent permanently out of a straight line, it will at least yield readily and prevent the webbing from being gripped as firmly as it should be. Furthermore, unless the parts clasp is swung downwardly into a locking position; thus permitting the buckle always firmly to grip webbing of any thickness that may be encountered, simplybecause when the webbing is thick, the clasp will not swing in as far as it will when the Webbing is thin. in every case, however, the

clasp will reach a position which causes it to take a firm grip on the webbing and, because the part against which the webbing is pressed by the clasp is stiffened by the deflected marginal portion or flange, the buckle will not accidentally release the webhing because of a yielding or bending of the bar against which it is clamped. It will also be seen that the forwardly-bent marginal portion or flange 7 not only stiifens the body portion of the bar but, by reason of the fact that it is connected at its ends to the ears, the ears, the body of the bar, and the flange mutually brace and reinforce each other; so that the bar, although made of comparatively light material and comparatively narrow, is extremelv strong and rigid.

I glaim:

1. In a buckle, a sheet metal frame comprising a bar in the form of a long narrow piece of sheet metal having its ends bent laterally in the same direction to form ears, said bar having a slot extending through the same from one ear to the other and having one of the marginal portions along its long edges and connected at its ends to said ears bent laterally in the same direction as the ears; whereby the body portion of the bar, the said marginal portion, and the ears mutually reinforce each other; and a clasp lying between and movably supported by said ears.

2. In a buckle, a bar in the form of a long narrow piece of sheet metal having its ends bent laterally in the same direction to forinhears said bar having-a slot extending through the same from one ear to another, said bar also having one of theinarginal portions along its longedges and. connected at its ends to said ears bent laterally in the same general direction 'as the ears;

whereby the body portion of the bar, the said marginal P01131011; and the ears mutually adapted to clamp a webbing lying between the same and the bar against said marginal portion.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specifioation.

HERMAN A. KELLER. 

